The present invention relates to horseshoes and, more particularly, to an improved horseshoe-like device which allows for proper expansion of the hoof when the hoof hits the ground.
The purpose of horseshoes is to provide protection against excessive and/or uneven wear of the hoof, and against cuts, bruises, and other injuries thereto, as well as providing better traction as compared to a shoeless horse's hoof. However, horseshoes tend to interfere with the natural mechanical functioning of the horse's hoof, which tend to expand when the hoof hits the ground with each step, thereby providing a form of shock absorption, reducing strain on the horse's muscles and tendons.
A horseshoe, in order to provide the above mentioned benefits of a barrier and traction device, are necessarily rigid. Being a rigid barrier rigidly fixed to the hoof, however, between the ground and the horse's hoof, does not allow for proper expansion of the hoof when the hoof hits the ground, thereby restricting natural movement of the hoof. Alternative horse boots have been offered as a solution, but such horse boots can be loose, cumbersome, and sometime difficult to put on and keep on.
As can be seen, there is a need for a hoof tap device for the protection a horses' hoof, while facilitating the natural movement and expansion of the hoof as the horse steps. The hoof tap device provides additional traction, yet stops excessive wear without the use of a full horse shoe, while improving the movement of the hoof by allowing the hoof to flex and expand naturally, and, in some cases, providing correction of the hoof.